# Enhancing Diversity at the 8th Astyanax International Meeting (AIM)

> **NIH NIH R13** · FLORIDA ATLANTIC UNIVERSITY · 2024 · $5,000

## Abstract

Project Summary/Abstract
A central goal of biological research is to understand how the diversity seen throughout fauna is generated, and
how changes in environment and ecology lead to phenotypic differences. Naturally occurring genetic variation
has instrumental roles in driving phenotypic differences, both in the cases of adaptive changes seen across
evolution, but also in pathological underpinnings of human disease. Indeed, today it is well accepted that genetic
architecture has a fundamental role in disease susceptibility. Model organisms have been essential to our
understanding of the genetic mechanisms underlying biological processes, yet our understanding of naturally
occurring genetic variation impacts trait differences and disease susceptibility is limited. A central impediment to
addressing this question is the lack of a model system with naturally occurring differences that is also amendable
to genetic and experimental manipulation. The Mexican tetra, Astyanax mexicanus has been a powerful tool for
addressing how naturally occurring genetic variation alters phenotypes. The model has two distinctly different
forms: There are surface dwelling fish that live in above-ground rivers and streams and have functional visual
systems and pigmentation, contrasting with at least 30 cave-restricted populations which are blind and albino.
The past decade has seen an explosion in the number of genetic tools introduced in the system, the number of
phenotypes that are being studied, and the number of labs world-wide that are utilizing this model. Today,
Astyanax is a model for eye degeneration, sleep loss, stress, aggression, metabolism and insulin resistance.
The Astyanax International meeting is a biennial meeting that brings the group of researchers using Astyanax
and other non-traditional aquatic models together to discuss the latest progress in biological research and to set
the direction for the subsequent 2 years. The 4-day meeting draws an international crowd with groups coming
from North and Central America, Europe, and Asia. The 8th biennial meeting will be held in South Florida in Fort
Lauderdale. South Florida is a prime venue due to its large size, ease of access with two major international
airports, and multiple options for the venue. The meeting will be open registration, and we expect 90-100
attendees; The last Astyanax International meeting held in San Antonio in 2022 had 70 attendees, and we expect
that this number will increase as COVID concerns have largely subsided. The meeting will feature two keynote
speakers and over 30 (36 in total) speakers chosen from submitted abstracts. The meeting will also feature a
poster session, and short ‘lighting talks.” All talks (not including Keynote speakers) will be the same amount of
time, and we will focus providing opportunities for junior PIs and trainees to speak. This will give opportunity to
a wide range of students and scientists at different stages of their careers to feature their wor...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10826020
- **Project number:** 1R13OD036186-01
- **Recipient organization:** FLORIDA ATLANTIC UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Erik Rolando Duboue
- **Activity code:** R13 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $5,000
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2024-01-26 → 2024-12-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10826020

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10826020, Enhancing Diversity at the 8th Astyanax International Meeting (AIM) (1R13OD036186-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-26 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10826020. Licensed CC0.

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